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Clepsydra

Name: Clepsydra
Director: Phil Solomon
Released: 1992
Duration: 14 min

Representation Score

3.5/10

Limited

1992

Director

Phil Solomon

Runtime

14 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Phil Solomon’s Clepsydra is a formal experiment that prioritizes sensory immersion over social commentary. It serves as a meditation on time and memory, using the physical properties of celluloid to create a metaphor for an unstoppable flow. Because the film is non-narrative and avoids traditional character-driven clichés, it lacks the demographic diversity found in mainstream cinema. It does not actively engage with identity politics, focusing instead on abstract visual and auditory textures. Ultimately, the film's value lies in its disruption of conventional Western narratives, replacing standard social hierarchies with a fragmented, subjective exploration of existence.

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Category Breakdown

Does Clepsydra have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film's abstract nature avoids direct references to sexual orientation. It focuses on a gender-neutral perspective by avoiding conventional narrative structures.

How does Clepsydra portray gender?

Fair

The film highlights the dreams of a young girl, providing a feminine viewpoint. However, it transcends traditional gender roles through abstraction rather than personal interactions.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Clepsydra?

Minimal

There are no specific ethnic or racial characters mentioned. The emphasis on celluloid and elemental themes means racial identity is not a factor.

How does Clepsydra represent religion and culture?

Good

The work challenges conventional ideas about time by prioritizing sensory experiences over structured narratives. It emphasizes subjective experiences and the breakdown of linear time.

Does Clepsydra include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no indication of characters with visible or invisible disabilities in the film's description.

Present on Screen

Focuses on gender neutrality by avoiding traditional narrative structures.
Challenges conventional Western concepts of time and linear progression.
Emphasizes subjective, sensory experiences over standardized social norms.

Limited or Absent

Does not include any racial or ethnic characterizations.
Lacks representation of characters with disabilities.
Does not use character-driven arcs to explore specific social identities.

Official Synopsis

Clepsydra is an ancient Greek water clock (literally, "to steal water"). This film envisions the strip of celluloid going vertically through a projector as a sprocketed waterfall (random events measured in discreet units of time), through which the silent dreams of a young girl can barely be heard under the din of an irresistible torrent, an irreversible torment.

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